THE LAWN GARDEN
Our first large-scale garden, the Nathaniel Thayer Dexter Lawn Garden was dedicated September 16, 1990, just two days before the 150th anniversary of the Worcester County Horticultural Society. As visitors wander through the Lawn Garden, they find a wide variety of species and hybrids of exquisite trees and shrubs, as well as thousands of spring bulbs and summer-blooming perennials such as daylilies and peonies. Fall brings the drama of showy colored leaves, and the winter season allows visitors to appreciate the beauty of bark, berries, and woody textures.
Horticulture staff work to ensure the Lawn Garden is full of perennials that have color all year round, such as hummingbird mint (Agastache) and beardtongues (Penstemon). Not found anywhere else on the property, visitors can also enjoy two dawn redwoods (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) and multiple magnolias (Magnolia spp. and cultivars) within this garden.
The Lawn Garden was built to follow a central line from north to south—connecting the center of the pergolas in the garden to the farmhouse door, and onward through the conservatory doors to the Garden of Inspiration. The Lawn Garden is often transformed into an outdoor concert space in the summer, and families can frequently be found picnicking on the grass in the warmer months.
